Ash hopper for fireplaces



June 4,1935. E A. TT v 2,003,559

ASH HOPPER FOR FIREPLACES Filed March 12, 1932 Patented June 4, 1935 "UNlTED STATES ASH HOPPER FOR FIREPLACES Eric A. Scott, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 12, 1932, Serial No. 598,393

Claims.

This invention relates particularly to hoppers or conveyors adapted for use in connection with fireplaces provided with basket grates. Such baskets are provided with legs so that the grates 5 are positioned at some distance from the floor or bottom of the fireplace and, as ordinarily used, the ashes dropping from the grate will spread out over the floor of the fireplace tending to give the fireplace an unsightly appearance. Furthermore, when the fireplace is cleaned the dust from the ashes will pass out into the room, making such devices still more objectionable. In accordance with the present invention I provide a hopper or conveyor which is adapted to coact with the basket grate and which will convey the ashes down through an opening in the floor.

The objects of this invention are to provide improvements in fireplace construction; to provide a grate or fireboxof the basket type with means for receiving and carrying away the ashes; to provide an improved hopper for use in connection with basket grates or the like, for receiving the ashes and discharging the same through a hole in the floor; and to provide such other novel features. and improvements as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing showing a practical embodiment of my invention,

Figure l is a front view of a fireplace having a basket grate with my improved hopper applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the hopper; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The fireplace 4 may be of any usual or preferred construction and is provided with a floor or bottom 5 having an ash discharge opening 6 through which ashes or the like may be discharged into the basement or into any suitable receptacle for receiving the same. The fireplace is provided with a grate or firebox l of the basket type having legs 8 which rest on the floor 5.

In order to catch the ashes from the firebox and to direct the same through the opening 6, I provide a hopper 9 having a slanting or beveled front wall Ill, rear wall H, and ends 12. These parts may be secured together in any desired manner and converge toward the bottom where they connect with a neck or discharge spout l3 which projects downwardly into the opening 6. Thehopper may be provided with a collar or flange M which engages with the floor around the opening 6 and covers the top of the hole around the discharge spout IS.

The back It is provided with a flange l5 and the ends II! are provided with flanges [6 which fit closely against the corresponding portions of the basket grate so as to make a tight closure between the hopper and the grate and prevent any ashes from being discharged from around the top of the hopper. These flanges may be secured to the grate if desired but ordinarily this will not be necessary.

The front wall It has an upwardly extending flange or guard portion II which is preferably spaced a short distance from the front of the grate so as to leave a clearance between the grate and the hopper at this point as shown in Figure 3, and which also extends upwardly beyond the lower portion of the grate or basket in order to catch any ashes which may be discharged at the front of the grate. This space or clearance will permit air to pass between the hood and the grate to support combustion.

In some instances I may provide a vent or opening H5 in the front wall I!) which is provided with a damper I9 for controlling the passage through the same. This vent is covered on the inside with a hood or shield 20 which extends down a sufiicient distance to prevent ashes from passing out through the vent. By means of this arrangement, when the damper is opened air may pass through the vent and out at the lower end of the hood and then up through the grates.

My improved hopper may be made of any suitable material but is preferably made of sheet metal with the parts welded or otherwise secured together.

From this description it will be seen that I.

provide means whereby all of the ashes passing down through the grate will be kept off from the floor and will'be discharged down through the chute to the ash pit or the like. Consequently there is little or no possibility of dust or ashes being carried from the fireplace and distributed around the room as is apt to occur with the arrangements now in use. Having thus described my invention, which however, I do not wish to limit to the exact form or construction herein shown and described, except as specified in the following claims, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a basket grate, of a hopper having a flange around the back and ends thereof engaging with the lower edge of the back and ends of the grate and having converging side, back and front portions connected with a discharge pipe, the front portion having an upwardly projecting flange spaced from the front of the grate.

2. A hopper of the character set forth having an open top and converging sides leading to a discharge orifice, the front of the hopper having a vent therein, and a downwardly projecting hood within the hopper covering said vent, said hood being open at the lower end thereof and serving to direct the ashes past the vent while permitting air from the vent to pass into the hopper.

3. A hopper for the purposes described, comprising downwardly converging back and front portions, a hooded vent in the front portion, a damper for said vent, said front portion having an upwardly extending projection and the back and end portions having outwardly projecting flanges at the tops thereof.

4. The combination with a fireplace having a discharge opening in the floor and having a basket grate, of an ash hopper fitting around the lower portion of the grate and directed downwardly into the opening in the floor, a flange on the hopper engaging with the opening in the floor, said hopper having a projection extending upwardly in front of the grate and being spaced from the grate.

5. The combination with a. fireplace having a. discharge opening in the floor and having a basket grate, of an auxiliary ash hopper having its upper portion engaging with a lower edge of the back and ends of the grate and having a front portion projecting upwardly and spaced from the front of the grate.

ERIC A. SCOTT. 

